Bluetooth

Libratone has unveiled a new line of wireless speakers that are designed to make it easy to get a compact speaker that provides good sound into any room for your home. The new speakers are called the Zipp and Zipp Mini. Both of the speakers feature SoundSpaces capability and both WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity.

Portable Bluetooth speakers may already be social ways to enjoy music, but an Ultimate Ears update now gives those impromptu groups a way to get involved in the playlist. Block Party, a new addition to the UE app for iOS and Android, opens the company's wireless speakers up to multiple streaming sources, meaning that no longer can one person force 80s power ballads onto everybody else.

As Apple continues to release beta versions of the upcoming OS X 10.11.1 build to developers, the latest version has contained some hints of new keyboard, mouse, and trackpad accessories. French website Consomac has discovered configuration files that make specific mentions of a Magic Trackpad 2, a Magic Mouse 2, and a Magic Keyboard. Assuming these are products nearing release, it seems most likely they will be announced alongside the new 4K 21.5-inch iMac, rumored to debut next week.

Bowers & Wilkins Apple-compatible Zeppelin speaker, with its large, bulbous shape, has seen a few revisions since it was first introduced in 2007. While it originally featured a dock for the then-ubiquitous iPod, the company's latest model, the Zeppelin Wireless, ditches any form of wired or direct connection. The high-end speaker's industrial design remains the same, but it now focuses on streaming audio with support for AirPlay, Spotify Connect, and Bluetooth aptX.

Other than a few revamped headphone models, Beats hasn't really released a new product since its acquisition by Apple. That changes today, as Beats has just announced the Pill+, a wireless Bluetooth speaker that clearly has an Apple-influenced design, not to mention a Lightning port for charging. Featuring a slightly evolved pill shape, although with flatter top and bottom, the Pill+ replaces and is slightly bigger than the previous Pill speaker, but not as big as the discontinued Pill XL.

Lock & hardware maker Yale has just announced its latest residential door lock that works wirelessly with digital keys on a smartphone via Bluetooth. Dubbed the Yale Real Living Assure Lock, the hardware works with the Yale Digital Keys app for both iOS and Android, in addition to the new Samsung Gear S2 smartwatch. With the app, users can simply select the key they need to open the door, and hold their device up to the lock.

Those who want a touch of hipster-chic in their homes but don’t want to fully embrace retro technology can find a nice compromise between the two with Gramovox’s Bluetooth Gramophone 2.0, an updated version of its first Bluetooth Gramophone. The audio player can stream music from your mobile device, but does so without making it obvious — to those unaware, it simply looks like a small wooden box with a large horn speaker.

These days, wireless speakers are the fad and traditional audio equipment makers are starting to get in line. Bose has long joined that group and is now expanding its wireless family with a new generation of SoundTouch speakers. In addition to their well-known quality, these speakers now boast of built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity that makes streaming, whether from mobile or the Internet, a breeze. Plus, Bose is also inducting a new member into that family, the smallest of the group, the Bose SoundTouch 10.

With the demand for activity tracking booming, more and more folks are buying the devices to wear. Many activity trackers look like bracelets or odd watches and their styling isn’t for everyone. Anyone looking for an activity tracker that looks like a normal watch should check out the new Timex Metropolitan+ that was announced this week.

In a world where Bluetooth speakers are practically giveaway items, you have to do something special to command a $200 sticker, and Ultimate Ears believes it has the answer. The new UE BOOM 2 takes the cylindrical BOOM of 2013 and gives it a refresh, cranking up the volume by 25-percent while delivering a promised fifteen hours of wireless battery life.

The folks at V-MODA have revealed a set of over-ear headphones which they suggest will have virtually identical sound whether wired or wireless. These headphones work with Bluetooth for wireless listening up to 33-feet (10 meters) away from the sound device, while wired listening is provided by a high-quality audio cord included in the box. These headphones have been "rigorously tested and tuned" with an antenna for smartwatch Bluetooth performance with Apple Watch and Android Watches of all sorts.

JBL has unveiled the new Pulse 2 portable Bluetooth speaker. The device is more than just a wireless speaker making it easy for you to enjoy your tunes on the go, it’s also a lightshow. Pulse 2 delivers synchronized flashes of full-color light to go with the beat of your favorite tracks.